Schema: From Apprentice to Om
Infographic: Representation of Stages of Awakening.
By: A. Void.
1- From being a neophyte or Apprentice: the conscious journey begins->
from vices to virtues, from negative to positive life orientation
2- To honing the way & un-learning as an Undergoing Masterpiece ->
from erratic mindfulness & meditation techniques to daily practice
3- To "mind"-ing and accreting the gaps and delving into Mystical terrain
4- To noise, vibration, sound, wave, light, energy->
a higher play of duality with the physical & non-physical
5- To no-sound-> a harmonious rhythm as a constant ever-presence,
isness, beingness, thisness
Questions for Introspection, Reflection & Meditation
Do the stages listed above really coincide with how others have described awakening? Or is it more of a playful rendition of how things change as one rises higher in consciousness?
Is being a neophyte or Apprentice like being a Padawan in the Star Wars movie? Is it the same as being an Initiate? How does one get initiated into spiritually and the awakening journey?
Step or phase 2 seems to describe the “pendulum” of awakening. Yet the journey continues on to the next several steps/phases. Does this mean the pendulum really continues until the 6th chakra? When does one stop feeling the “yo-yo” of awakening?
Does “mind”-ing the gaps mean that we are noticing more and more when we are silent and when we are not? Can we really say that we are accumulating silence—or is silence already the true reality beyond mind?
“Mystical terrain” seems to refer to abilities and mystical experiences that are often talked about on the journey. Why do these “superpowers” and weird experiences happen while on the journey? How can we deal with them without “freaking out?” Should we accept or deny abilities?
It seems there is a paradox at play—isn’t sound and no sound still part of duality just like time and timelessness? Can we really escape from the dream of maya? How can everything be an illusion but still solid and real?
